Is he really coming after our guns?

Published: Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, January 25, 2013 at 4:58 p.m.

Henderson County Commissioner Grady Hawkins is calling out President Barack Obama over supposed violations of Second Amendment rights. Sheriff Charlie McDonald, meanwhile, says he sees “cause for alarm” in the president’s actions.

On Wednesday, Hawkins told the Henderson County Republican Men’s Club he wants the county to pass a resolution asking the N.C. General Assembly to nullify any federal action within the state that infringes on Second Amendment rights. This proposal, which commissioners will likely address at their next meeting, is modeled after one that Beaufort County commissioners unanimously adopted Jan. 18.

“The American public got duped again and elected Obama,” Hawkins said. “He continues to violate the Constitution, enforce laws that he wants to enforce and step on our rights.”

Though he said he is not aware of the specifics of the Beaufort resolution, McDonald said he is “definitely interested” in supporting such an initiative. He added that he also thinks the N.C. Sheriffs Association would take the same position sheriffs in Utah have voiced about “certain things they would not do if asked by the federal government,” though not before separating facts from speculation regarding specific impacts of Obama’s executive orders.

Separating facts from speculation is what we need to do in the volatile gun debate. Let’s start with those executive “orders.” Writing in the conservative National Review Online, Greg Pollowitz correctly points out that “not one of the 23 ‘executive actions’ issue(d) by the president yesterday is an actual ‘executive order.’ However, the White House did issue three ‘presidential memoranda’ yesterday. They are:

“Engaging in Public Health Research on the Causes and Prevention of Gun Violence.

“The MSM (mainstream media), however, is using ‘executive order’ as a replacement for ‘executive action,’ which gives the reader the impression that the president has done more than he really has,” Pollowitz writes in NRO’s media blog, which aims to expose “liberal bias in both the mainstream and alternative media.” “The reality is President Obama hasn’t done much of anything,” Pollowitz wrote.

Pollowitz goes on to state: “If I were an honest member of the left and thought gun control was a major issue, I would be angry at what little was done yesterday.”

That has not stopped politicians across the country from howling that Obama is gearing up to strip us of our rights to own firearms. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have both introduced bills that would reverse any executive orders (oops, actions) deemed unconstitutional.

“Stockman didn’t list any specific executive orders that drew his ire. Most conservatives shrugged after Obama signed 23 orders, finding that much of the buildup had been for naught when the orders didn’t promote sweeping action,” Pollowitz says.

So what about those other actions Obama is calling for — a renewed ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and universal background checks for gun buyers? Those would have to be approved by Congress. And whether you consider them common-sense measures or an assault on the Constitution, they face a tough fight in the GOP-controlled House.

County commissioners also discussed “other priorities” at the GOP Men’s Club, including working with private industry on job creation, emergency services funding, public parks development in the Dana and Tuxedo communities and a call from Hawkins to lower the property-tax rate from 51.36 cents per $100 valuation to 50 cents. These all seem better uses of local leaders’ time and energy than ratcheting up rhetoric over unspecified, feared or suspected violations of the Constitution.

A couple of weeks ago, before the president had proposed any actions to deal with gun violence, we stated that this issue cries out for rational debate, not misleading hyperbole and emotional arguments often put forth by both gun control supporters and opponents. As the debate moves forward, we are certain to hear more about how Obama is the boogeyman coming to take our guns. It may be satisfying red meat for a partisan audience, but it won’t help pave the way to constructive action.

<p>Henderson County Commissioner Grady Hawkins is calling out President Barack Obama over supposed violations of Second Amendment rights. Sheriff Charlie McDonald, meanwhile, says he sees cause for alarm in the president’s actions.</p><p>On Wednesday, Hawkins told the Henderson County Republican Men’s Club he wants the county to pass a resolution asking the N.C. General Assembly to nullify any federal action within the state that infringes on Second Amendment rights. This proposal, which commissioners will likely address at their next meeting, is modeled after one that Beaufort County commissioners unanimously adopted Jan. 18.</p><p>The American public got duped again and elected Obama, Hawkins said. He continues to violate the Constitution, enforce laws that he wants to enforce and step on our rights.</p><p>Though he said he is not aware of the specifics of the Beaufort resolution, McDonald said he is definitely interested in supporting such an initiative. He added that he also thinks the N.C. Sheriffs Association would take the same position sheriffs in Utah have voiced about certain things they would not do if asked by the federal government, though not before separating facts from speculation regarding specific impacts of Obama’s executive orders.</p><p>Separating facts from speculation is what we need to do in the volatile gun debate. Let’s start with those executive orders. Writing in the conservative National Review Online, Greg Pollowitz correctly points out that not one of the 23 executive actions’ issue(d) by the president yesterday is an actual executive order.’ However, the White House did issue three presidential memoranda’ yesterday. They are:</p><p>Improving Availability of Relevant Executive Branch Records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.</p><p>Tracing of Firearms in Connection with Criminal Investigations.</p><p>Engaging in Public Health Research on the Causes and Prevention of Gun Violence.</p><p>The MSM (mainstream media), however, is using executive order’ as a replacement for executive action,’ which gives the reader the impression that the president has done more than he really has, Pollowitz writes in NRO’s media blog, which aims to expose liberal bias in both the mainstream and alternative media. The reality is President Obama hasn’t done much of anything, Pollowitz wrote.</p><p>Pollowitz goes on to state: If I were an honest member of the left and thought gun control was a major issue, I would be angry at what little was done yesterday.</p><p>That has not stopped politicians across the country from howling that Obama is gearing up to strip us of our rights to own firearms. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have both introduced bills that would reverse any executive orders (oops, actions) deemed unconstitutional.</p><p>Stockman didn’t list any specific executive orders that drew his ire. Most conservatives shrugged after Obama signed 23 orders, finding that much of the buildup had been for naught when the orders didn’t promote sweeping action, Pollowitz says.</p><p>So what about those other actions Obama is calling for  a renewed ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and universal background checks for gun buyers? Those would have to be approved by Congress. And whether you consider them common-sense measures or an assault on the Constitution, they face a tough fight in the GOP-controlled House.</p><p>County commissioners also discussed other priorities at the GOP Men’s Club, including working with private industry on job creation, emergency services funding, public parks development in the Dana and Tuxedo communities and a call from Hawkins to lower the property-tax rate from 51.36 cents per $100 valuation to 50 cents. These all seem better uses of local leaders’ time and energy than ratcheting up rhetoric over unspecified, feared or suspected violations of the Constitution.</p><p>A couple of weeks ago, before the president had proposed any actions to deal with gun violence, we stated that this issue cries out for rational debate, not misleading hyperbole and emotional arguments often put forth by both gun control supporters and opponents. As the debate moves forward, we are certain to hear more about how Obama is the boogeyman coming to take our guns. It may be satisfying red meat for a partisan audience, but it won’t help pave the way to constructive action.</p>